Fruit-jar fastener



(ModeL) J. O. BALDWIN.

FRUIT JAR FASTENER.

Patented July '7, 1885.

UNITED STATES Parent @rrrca JOE-L C. BALDIVIN, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT-JAR FASTEN ER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,475, dated 3 7, 1885.

(MorleLl To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOEL G. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Clamp for Holding the Covers of Fruit-Jars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a clamp for fruit-jars that will have sufficient strength, be easily operated, and at the same time can be manufactured from eastinstead of wrought metal, as has been the custom heretofore. How thisis accomplished is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a fruit-jar, showing the clamp in position and locked. Fig. 2 shows the jar turned onequarter round, showing the cross-bar, but with the eccentric lever raised; Fig. 3, a plan, and Figs. at, 5, and 6 are enlarged details.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A is a fruit-jar having the cover B and rubber gasket G, which are held in place by the clamp D and crossbar E, by means of the eccentric lever F. It will be observed that the clamp D passes over the cover and hooks under the rim on the neck of the jar, while the cross bar E, which passes through the square hole G in the clamp D at right angles, and resting upon its extreme ends at H, upon the cover directly over the gasket O. This is of importance, as by this means the force is applied where it '-is most required. The eccentric lever F, as shown in Fig. 6, should be cast parted through the cam at I, that it may be sprung apart sufficiently to link it with the clamp at G. Referring to Fig. 4, where the cross-bar is shown in elevation and the clamp in seetiomwith the eccentric lever in avertical position, it will be seen that the cross-bar E does not come in contact with the clamp D, except on the sides of the slot J, leaving a space above and below it. Ihis space is equal to the eccentricity of the eccentric lever, as is shown at k, Fig. 5, where the eccentric lever is depressed to the position it occupies when the apparatus is locked. The cross-bar in this figure is shown in section.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have a strong, convenient, and reliable fruitjar fastener composed of three partsthe clamp D, the cross-bar E, and the eccentric lever F--1nade entirely of cast metal, ready for use as soon as taken from the moldin which the parts are cast, requiring no labor of any kind further than connecting the parts together.

Having connected the parts, as described, and with the eccentric lever in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the apparatus is passed over the cover, and at the same time hooking the points L under the rim on the neck of the jar, and the points H of the crossbar resting upon the top of the cover, as shown in Fig. 2. Now, it is evidentthat by depressing the eccentric lever, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the clamp D and crossbar E will be sprung in 0pposite directions. each acting as a fulcrum for the other, and any amount of force can be applied,limited only by the strength of its several parts, and forming a perfect joint between the cover and jar by means of the elastic gasket C.

I am aware that many devices have been patented to accomplish this result, but have been wholly or in part made of wrought metal, mostly of wire; but I do not know or believe that they have ever been manufactured exclusively of cast metal, which has the great advantage of not requiring costly and complicated machinery for their manufacture, which is the case with those made oi'wrought metal, thereby producing a much cheapera-nd equally as good an article.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is- As an article of manufacture, the combination of the clamp D, the cross-bar E, and the eccentric'lever F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOEL (l. BALDWIN.

W'ituesses:

G. L. PIERCE, ANDREW J. COFFEE. 

